We are requesting a shared instrument grant to purchase a Magnetic Circular Dichroism/ Circular Dichroism (MCD/CD) system, including JASCO-815 and JASCO-730 spectrophotometers, to be used for a wide range of hemeproteins and other biomedical research. This MCD/CD system will be used to extend work previously done with an aged JASCO-500 and to begin studies beyond the older instrument's capabilities. Purchase of this system is justified on several cases: [unreadable] * MCD/CD spectroscopy, in combination with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), is a very powerful tool in structural analysis of the many biological systems that involve transition metal centers. We have expanded our research scope and now study as many as two dozens different hemeproteins and a few iron-sulfur proteins. The J-815 plus J-730 MCD/CD system, covering the 160-2000 nm range, permits full characterization of the target macromolecules and enhances ongoing projects using the EPR facility at the UT Medical School. [unreadable] * The requested MCD/CD capability is designed to integrate with existing NMR and crystallographic capabilities of the Structural Biology Center at the UT-Houston Medical School. The MCD/CD system will expand the spectroscopic tools available to a wide spectrum of users associated with the Gulf Coast Consortium, including the Houston Area Molecular Biophysics Training Program, thus strengthening scientific interactions among scientists at the UT Medical School, Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Houston. [unreadable] * Steadily increased usage of MCD/CD techniques in biochemical and biophysical studies at the University of Texas Houston Medical School and at Rice University. To guarantee a reliable MCD/CD facility for ongoing research and training purposes, we chose to buy JASCO spectrometers for their versatile performance, durability and ease of use. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]